Leah Blevins is pink-haired and bright-lipped, with a sweet voice and a permanent smile. She is gentle and warm - has the kind of presence that puts anyone at ease. You would never know that Leah has experienced what many adults never will. At 18 years old, she found herself pregnant and alone. She'd dropped out of high school and it seemed her story had been written - that she was destined for a life of struggle. She wasn't. In fact, she was destined for a life of triumph. "

Rightfully, community leaders and educators around the country have turned their focus and dollars to programs that support early childhood development. We have learned the architecture of the brain - the circuits and neural connections - is established in the first few years of a child’s life and reinforced as he grows older. It’s this architecture that “provides the foundation for all future learning, behavior and health.” The foundation can be strong, or, as is too often t